You are here

Cranfield and EU research partners say Brexit will not wreck collaborations

Cranfield University says it will continue to fly the flag for collaborations with EU-based partners regardless of how Brexit shapes up.

Professor Tom Stephenson, pro-vice-chancellor (Research and Innovation) at Cranfield, made that clear after the university hosted a meeting of 19 partner universities from eight European countries to discuss future scientific and technology research collaboration opportunities.

Representatives from universities in Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Portugal and Poland heard from Universities UK International’s assistant director of policy, Jamie Arrowsmith about the work they are doing to represent UK universities during the Brexit negotiations.

The group also toured some of Cranfield’s unique research facilities such as the National Flying Laboratory Centre, the Intelligent Mobility Engineering Centre and the newly opened Aerospace Integration Research Centre.

Both Dr Ruben Sakrabani and Dr Joan Pau Sanchez Cuartielles from Cranfield presented the outline of two research projects that have emerged from the joint collaboration.

Cranfield has strong international links, with more than half of its students coming from outside the UK from more than 100 countries. During a typical year, Cranfield’s academics deliver courses in over 40 countries outside the UK and one in eight of its staff are European Union nationals.

Professor Stephenson said: “Cranfield has strong links with our European partners that span many decades. While the rules and regulations of how we collaborate may change due to Brexit, our partnerships are built on long-standing collaborations based on common goals around research and education.

“As a university with a strong global outlook, we will continue to build and develop our relationship with our partners in Europe and beyond, regardless of whatever the result of the political wranglings in Brussels and London.”